A man has been charged after a senior constable was allegedly injured during an attempted arrest and police pursuits in Lake Macquarie.
About 2.45pm on Tuesday (27 July 2021), officers attached to Northern High Visibility Policing Team attended a carpark on the Pacific Highway at Bennetts Green and observed a grey Volkswagen Amarok utility bearing stolen NSW registration plates.
Officers approached the ute where the male driver attempted to drive off.
A male senior constable smashed the driver's window to remove the keys from the ignition, during which the driver resisted, causing the officer's arms to be pushed into shattered glass.
The male driver then fled the scene in the utility onto South Street, Windale.
A pursuit was initiated and continued in the surrounding streets but was terminated a short time later.
Numerous patrols were conducted throughout the area; however, the vehicle could not be located.
Following inquiries, police identified that the ute had been stolen from Valentine between 6pm on Sunday 25 July 2021 and 8.50am on Monday 26 July 2021.
The senior constable was taken to John Hunter Hospital with minor injuries to his arms and has since been released.
As part of ongoing inquiries, the Northern HVP Team attempted to stop a grey Amarok ute northbound on the Pacific Highway about 9am today (Wednesday 28 July 2021).
A pursuit was initiated with the Amarok allegedly reaching speeds of approximately 160km/hr in a sign-posted 100km/hr zone.
During the pursuit, additional resources were requested before the utility crashed into bushland off Lakeview Parade, Pelican.
The driver and sole occupant fled the ute on foot where officers from Lake Macquarie Police District, Operation Utah, Traffic and Highway Patrol and the Dog Unit conducted an extensive search and arrested a 35-year-old man in Little Pelican a short time later.
The man was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with 24 offences including;
- Break and enter house steal value less than $60,000 (x2),
- receive property – theft (serious indictable offence x2),
- dishonestly obtain property by deception (x5),
- steal motor vehicle,
- drive conveyance taken without consent of owner,
- police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly (x2),
- drive motor vehicle during disqualification period (x2),
- use registrable vehicle not display authorised number plates,
- use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention,
- assault police officer in execution of duty cause actual bodily harm (x2),
- resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty (x2),
- goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle),
- refuse to submit to taking of blood sample, and,
- refuse or fail to provide urine sample.
The Caves Beach man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 29 July 2021).
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
